1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a meter apparatus mounted on a moving body such as a motor vehicle and to a character plate used in the meter apparatus for indicating a measuring quantity with a pointer.
2. Description of the Related Art
A meter apparatus to indicate information measured by various measuring means to a crew is mounted on a motor vehicle as a moving body. A combination meter is used as such kind of meter apparatus, which combination meter has, for example, a speedometer to indicate the speed of a motor vehicle, a tachometer to indicate the rotation speed of an engine, a fuel gauge to indicate remaining quantity of the fuel, and a temperature gauge to indicate the temperature of the cooling water of the engine.
The above vehicle-use combination meter has a meter casing to accommodate movements of the above meters, character plates arranged on the front face of the above meter casing, pointers, and an inside-cover plates arranged in front of the character plates. Each movement has an output shaft to rotate according to the measuring quantity. The pointer is attached to the output shaft of the movement.
The above character plates are a speedometer character plate, a tachometer character plate, a fuel gauge character plate, and a temperature gauge character plate. These character plates are made of synthetic resin. A vehicle speed indication scale, an engine rotation speed indication scale, a fuel remaining quantity indication scale, and a cooling water temperature indication scale are provided on the respective character plates.
The output shafts of the movements turns according to corresponding information (measuring quantities) from the respective measuring means. And, the pointers turn on respective indicating portions. Like this, the vehicle-use combination meter indicates measuring quantities to the crew.
With respect to the above prior art, however, the character plates are made synthetic resin. Therefore, the high-grade feeling thereof is fairly low in comparison with other onboard devices when installed on a high-grade motor vehicle. Therefore, it is suggested the character plate is formed of metal. However, the measuring quantity of the meter unit shall be easily recognized by the crew for safety even in the night. When the character plate is made of metal, it is difficult to make the scale or the like shine.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a meter apparatus and a character plate thereof which can give a crew a high-grade feeling and make the crew easily recognize the measuring quantity.
In order to achieve the above object, as a first aspect of the present invention, a meter apparatus comprises: a meter casing; a meter unit accommodated in the meter casing and having an output shaft to rotate according to a measuring quantity showing a state of a moving body; a pointer attached to the output shaft; and a character plate having indicating portions to indicate a state of the moving body by indicating the measuring quantity by means of the pointer, wherein the character plate has a plate member made of metal and provided with a first indicating portion of the indicating portions on a first surface facing a crew of the moving body, and there is provided a lighting means attached to the meter casing, arranged nearer the crew of the moving body than the character plate, and illuminating the first surface of the plate member of the character plate.
As a second aspect of the present invention, based on the first aspect, a morning sun expression is formed on the first surface of the plate member.
As a third aspect of the present invention, based on the first aspect, one of the first indicating portion and the first surface of the plate member is painted with a dark color paint, and the other is painted with a light color paint.
As a fourth aspect of the present invention, based on the first aspect, the first surface of the plate member is frosted.
As a fifth aspect of the present invention, based on the first aspect, the character plate has a framing member attached to a periphery of the plate member and provided with a second indicating portion of the indicating portions on a second surface facing the crew of the moving body, and the lighting means can illuminate the second surface of the framing member.
As a sixth aspect of the present invention, based on the fifth aspect, one of the second surface of the framing member and the second indicating portion is a dark color, and the other is a light color.
As a seventh aspect of the present invention, a character plate of a meter apparatus comprises: indicating portions to indicate a measuring quantity by a pointer attached to an output shaft of a meter unit so that a state of a moving body can be shown, the output shaft rotating according to the measuring quantity; and a plate member having a first indicating portion of the indicating portions on a first surface facing a crew of the moving body, wherein the plate member is made of metal and a morning sun expression is formed on the first surface.
As an eighth aspect of the present invention, a character plate of a meter apparatus comprises: indicating portions to indicate a measuring quantity by a pointer attached to an output shaft of a meter unit so that a state of a moving body can be shown, the output shaft rotating according to the measuring quantity; and a framing member made of light-transmissible material, formed in a frame-like shape, and provided with a second indicating portion of the indicating portions on a second surface facing the crew of the moving body, wherein a metal layer is overlaid on the second surface and grooves extending in a circumferential direction of the framing member are formed on a surface of the metal layer.
As a ninth aspect of the present invention, a character plate of a meter apparatus comprises: indicating portions to indicate a measuring quantity by a pointer attached to an output shaft of a meter unit so that a state of a moving body can be shown, the output shaft rotating according to the measuring quantity; a plate member having a first indicating portion of the indicating portions on a first surface facing a crew of the moving body; and a framing member made of light-transmissible material, formed in a frame-like shape, provided with a second indicating portion of the indicating portions on a second surface facing the crew of the moving body, and attached to a periphery of the plate member, wherein the plate member is made of metal, a morning sun expression is formed on the first surface, and wherein a metal layer is overlaid on the second surface and grooves extending in a circumferential direction of the framing member are formed on a surface of the metal layer.
As a tenth aspect of the present invention, based on the seventh or ninth aspect, one of the first indicating portion and the first surface of the plate member is painted with a dark color paint and the other is painted with a light color paint.
As an eleventh aspect of the present invention, based on the seventh or ninth aspect, the first surface of the plate member is frosted.
As a twelfth aspect of the present invention, based on the eighth or ninth aspect, one of the surface of the metal layer and the second indicating portion is a dark color and the other is a light color.
According to the above-described structures of the present invention, the following advantages are provided.
(1) According to the first aspect of the invention, the lighting means is arranged nearer the crew than the character plate. Therefore, the lighting means can illuminate the whole surface of the plate member including the indicating portion. Therefore, the crew can easily recognize the measuring quantity on the first indicating portion indicated by the pointer. And, the plate member of the character plate is made of metal. Therefore, a feeling of metal can be given to the crew with the reflection of the light from the character plate. Therefore, a high-grade feeling can be given to the crew even in the night.
(2) According to the second aspect of the invention, because the morning sun expression is formed on the surface, facing the crew, of the plate member, the crew can easily recognize the measuring quantity and a high-grade feeling can be given to the crew even in the night with the reflection of the light.
(3) According to the third aspect of the invention, either the first indicating portion or the surface of the plate member is painted with a dark color paint, and the other is painted with a light color paint. Therefore, the contrast between the above first indicating portion and the surface of the plate member is large. Therefore, a high-grade feeling can be given to the crew, and the crew can easily recognize the first indicating portion. Therefore, the visibility of the crew is improved.
(4) According to the forth aspect of the invention, the surface of the plate member is frosted. Therefore, the contrast between the above first indicating portion and the surface of the plate member is large. And, it can be prevented that the crew can not recognize the first indicating portion due to the strong light reflected from the character plate. Therefore, beside the high-grade feeling, the crew can still easily recognize the measuring quantity. Therefore, the visibility of the crew is further improved.
(5) According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the lighting means illuminates the surface of the framing member. Therefore, the crew can securely recognize the measuring quantity on the second indicating portion.
(6) According to the sixth aspect of the invention, either the surface of the framing member or the second indicating portions is a dark color, and the other is a light color. Therefore, the surface of the above framing member and the second indicating portion is large. Therefore, the crew can securely recognize the measuring quantity on the second indicating portion.
(7) According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, because the morning sun expression is provided on the surface, facing the crew, of the plate member, the feeling of metal can be given to the crew with the reflection of the light. Therefore, a high-grade feeling can be given to the crew.
(8) According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the metal layer is overlaid on the second surface of the framing member and the grooves are formed on the metal layer. Therefore, the feeling of metal can be given to the crew with the reflection of the light, and a high-grade feeling can be given to the crew. And, because the metal layer is not formed on the second indicating portion, the second indicating portion can be brightened. Therefore, the second indicating portion can be easily recognized. That is, the visibility with the crew can be improved.
(9) According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the morning sun expression is provided on the surface, facing the crew, of the plate member; and the metal layer is formed on the second surface of the framing member. And, the grooves are formed on the metal layer. Therefore, the feeling of metal can be given to the crew with the reflection of the light, and a high-grade feeling can be given to the crew. And, because the metal layer is not formed on the second indicating portion, the second indicating portion can be brightened. Therefore, the second indicating portion can be easily recognized. That is, the visibility with the crew can be improved.
(10) According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, either the first indicating portion or the surface of the plate member is painted with a dark color paint, and the other is painted with a light color paint. Therefore, the contrast between the first indicating portion and the surface of the plate member is large. Therefore, the crew can easily recognize the first indicating portion. Therefore, a high-grade feeling can be given to the crew, and the visibility with the crew can be improved.
(11) According to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the surface of the plate member is frosted. Therefore, the contrast between the first indicating portion and the surface of the plate member is larger. And, it can be prevented that the crew cannot recognize the first indicating portion caused by the strong reflected light from the character plate. Therefore, the crew can more easily recognize the first indicating portion. Therefore, a high-grade feeling can be given to the crew, and the visibility with the crew can be further improved.
(12) According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, either of the surface of the metal layer and the second indicating portions is a light color, and the other is a dark color. Therefore, the contrast between the second indicating portion and the surface of the metal layer is large. Therefore, the crew can easily recognize the second indicating portion. Therefore, a high-grade feeling can be given to the crew, and the visibility with the crew can be further improved.
The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.